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10 Stouffville Sun-Tribune | Thursday, October 13, 2016 | O Fax: 905-640-8778 Classified: 1-800-263-6480 OPINION EDITORIAL Publisher Dana Robbins General manager Shaun Sauve Regional Editor-In-Chief, Metroland Central Joanne Burghardt 580 Steven Ct, Newmarket, ON L3Y 6Z2 www.yorkregion.com 905-640-2612 DISTRIBUTION 1-855-853-5613 Director, Advertising Maureen Christie Director Creative Services Katherine Porcheron Director, Distribution Mike Banville Regional Director, Finance & administration Phil Sheehan Editor-in-Chief, York Region Lee Ann Waterman Managing Editor Ted McFadden tmcfadden@yrmg.com No excuse for recent hockey brawl W hile hockey has always had a roughand-tumble reputation, there's simply no excuse for what allegedly occurred at Milliken Mills Rink in Markham earlier this month. Following a feisty match between bantam A teams from Markham and Orillia, things apparently turned uglier when parents, coaches and players began "chirping" back and forth after the game. According to reports, players from the Orillia side, perhaps carried away in celebration of their 4-1 victory, began to hurl insults at some of their opponents' mothers, which led to a melee involving parents and the players who were around 14 years old. When the dust from the donnybrook cleared, one player was injured and one dad required six stitches after sustaining a cut from a skate blade. Markham Waxers president George Schnarr said about 10 people were involved in the fight. Advertising Manager Mara Sepe msepe@yrmg.com sbrown@metroland.com Circulation Manager Sabrina Brown A message must be sent that this kind of behaviour isn't welcome on or off the ice. "This is not a small little incident," Schnarr told yorkregion.com. "We will be doing an investigation. Thankfully, it's very rare, I have been doing this more than 10 years and it's a stretch to remember something of this nature. Sometimes you see parents shoving and shouting. With players, 95 per cent of it is done on the ice." In addition to the Waxers, York Regional Police, the Ontario Minor Hockey Association and the Orillia Minor Hockey Association plan on probing the fight. Whatever these inquiries find, one thing that is not in dispute is the fact that this kind of conduct is simply unacceptable. Our local hockey rinks should be spaces where youngsters work on improving their skills, while also learning the importance of good sportsmanship, not venues to showcase the kind of antics that wouldn't be out of place in the 1977 film Slap Shot. Those responsible for the dust-up should give their heads a shake and, more than that, they should be held to account for their actions. Not only does the brawl set a very poor example for others who may have been present -- younger players and fans especially -- but someone could have been seriously injured. It's also troubling that the taunts were apparently aimed at the mothers of the Markham team's players, suggesting some misogyny may also have been on display. In any event, a message must be sent that this kind of behaviour isn't welcome on or off the ice. These two teams are scheduled to meet again next month in Orillia, so one can only hope the re-match will serve as an opportunity to make amends. York Region Media Group community newspapers The Sun-Tribune, published every, Thursday, is a division of the Metroland Media Group Ltd., a whollyowned subsidiary of Torstar Corporation. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Rise of Trump more complex than editorial Re: Could Canada elect a Trumplike leader, Sept. 29. Despite your stereotyping of Trump supporters as racist xenophobes, there is much more at work behind the rise of politicians like Donald Trump than your simplistic editorial suggests. There is a rising tide of antiestablishment sentiment amongst an increasing number of people and those seeking political power are leveraging that to their advantage. I believe Trump is saying some of the things he is because it gains traction with certain communities. After all, those seeking political power say all sorts of things to get elected and then follow through on SEND A LETTER: Email letters to editor to newsroom@yrmg.com almost none of it. Democrat, Republican, Liberal, Conservative, it matters little; this is perhaps why Mark Twain observed that "If voting made any difference, they wouldn't let us do it." Evidence has been growing that politicians virtually across the planet are little more than puppets for global, monied interests and the Deep State. And the decisions and policies of these so-called leaders have much more to do with enriching and expanding the power and wealth of themselves and their cronies, than representing the To speak to a customer service rep: 1-855-853-5613 Delivery inquiries: customersupport@ metroland.com Delivery issues? LETTERS POLICY All submissions must be less than 400 words and include a daytime telephone number, name and address. The Sun-Tribune reserves the right to publish or not publish and to edit for clarity and space. E-mail jmason@yrmg.com interests of the vast majority of their citizens. As a vassal state of first the British Empire and, more recently, of the American Empire, Canada seems no exception to these observations. When representative governments no longer represent the people, the people disengage, look for an alternative voice, or, as has happened throughout history, take matters into their own hands and bring out the pitchforks. Could an anti-establishment voice rise to power within our nation-state? Of course. And, although it's been a while, an armed insurrection against oligarchical government would not be novel to Canada either. Steve Bull Whitchurch-Stouffville